Back to the city. Last time on my tour of Rajasthan we didn’t stop in the blue city, so I was excited to explore a new part of the region. We booked in at RAAS, a boutique design hotel nestled into the shadow of the imposing 15th-century Mehrangarh Fort. It was also next to a mosque, resulting in early morning call to prayer waking up most of the hotel (thankfully, we had earplugs). Ah, back into the civilization.
I’ve never stayed anywhere like Sujan Jawai. Though I’ve been on Safari, in Africa and India, my accommodations were never anything close to as unique as this place. Sujan Jawai really feels like it’s in the middle of nowhere. You can’t take regular cars there, instead you’re greeted a few km outside of the camp with welcome drinks and and a safari truck to take you in on winding dirt roads, or occasionally, over giant boulders where you question the truck’s capabilities. Once you arrive, you’re greeted with a champagne welcome, tour, and introduction to your luxury tents. The staff takes care of absolutely everything, but without a pretentious or stuffy air. It’s a pretty magical place.
Two-three hours (depending on roads and cow traffic) towards what seems to be the middle of nowhere lands you in the tiny village of 6,000 residents. Though throughly cliched, “off the beaten track,” might be an appropriate description of Narlai. The reason to come here is to experience rural India, within the comforts of a world-class heritage hotel. No one I’ve talked to knew of this place, even those who holiday frequently in India, this added to the appeal. I found it through Truffle Pig (who arranged our honeymoon), and trust them entirely with any suggestion. It certainly lived up to all expectations.
Udaipur, compared to Delhi feels like a small town, though this city boasts nearly 500,000 residents. It’s known for it’s several artificial lakes that snake around the city, that, and the filming location for Octopussy. Last time I was in Udaipur I stayed up in the maze of alleyways that define the tourist center of the city, this time, we stayed on the water with views of the Lake Palace.
Colliding With The Earth 